The Spencer Family and the British Throne: Ancestry, Succession, and Controversy

Why Isn't the Spencer Family on the Throne?

Why are so many non-British people so concerned with whose backside gets to rest upon the British throne?

The answer to why the Spencer family are not on the throne, despite their rich history, is simple: they are not the hereditary monarchs of the UK. The throne is hereditary and is passed down from parent to child, historically from father to son. It is not a vote or a popularity contest, nor is it a lottery. It is an accident of birth which ensures an individual's place as the next monarch. This is just the way it has always been.

Spencer Family: A Historical Perspective

The Spencer family's history is indeed commendable, but it is not as deep as some may believe. The Spencer lineage cannot be traced beyond one Thomas Spencer who lived in the 14th century. During the late medieval period, the Spencers, as a non-gentry family, acquired lands in Warwickshire and Northamptonshire. They benefited immensely from the Tudors; in 1519, the head of the family was knighted for reasons unrelated to military service. Over the Tudor period, the Spencers became increasingly wealthy and rose in societal status. However, it was only in the 18th century that the Spencers began to establish themselves as prominent figures in English society, long after the Tudor era.

Windsor Family: A Royal Legacy

In contrast, the Windsor family boasts a much more storied and ancient royal lineage. They claim descent from Cerdic, the first King of Wessex in the 5th century, and a series of English and British warrior kings. Incidentally, the last king of the UK to engage in battle for his country was King George VI, who fought in the Battle of Jutland. Queen Elizabeth II, the present monarch, served in the military during World War II though not on the front lines; her younger son, Prince Andrew, was a Royal Navy helicopter pilot during the Falklands War, and her grandson, Prince Harry, fought in Afghanistan before joining the armed forces in civilian roles.

Non-Inheritance of the Throne

The fact that the Spencer family is not on the throne, and neither do they claim it by force, is a result of the strict rules of royal succession. Either one must be related by blood to the previous monarch or seize the throne by force. No other factors can lead to someone becoming the Sovereign. The Royal Family is deeply intertwined with foreign royal marriages, with most members marrying individuals from other royal and noble families across Europe. This has been a long-standing tradition, with notable exceptions like Queen Elizabeth Woodville, Queen Elizabeth of York, and Queen Anne Neville, who were the only English queens since 1066 to marry English kings. Even King George VI married a Scotswoman, and Queen Mary's father was a German Duke.

Recent Spencers in the Royal Lineage

There are indeed a few Spencer branches in the recent Royal Family. For instance, a Spencer woman married Charles, Prince of Wales, and their son, Prince George, may one day ascend the throne. However, the Spencer family has yet to produce a male line that could potentially claim the throne in the future. The British Royal Dynasties, as a whole, are determined by hereditary lines. Kings beget Kings, or cousins fight and marry to ensure the succession. No Spencer male has married a Queen Regnant and had a child who could become King.

English Royal Dynasties: A Historical Overview

The English Royal Dynasties have included:

William the Conqueror: The Norman Kings Plantagenets Tudors Stuarts, including Mary II and Anne who were childless sisters Hanoverians, Guelphs Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, renamed The Windsors

While the historical dynasties of Scotland and their connections to the Stuarts or Stewarts remain a subject of study, the intricate web of royal marriages has ensured that the Spencers, like many other noble families, have not been included in the line of succession to the British throne. This centuries-old tradition continues to shape the future of the English monarchy.